Despite the automation of labor, many animals are still widely used for their manual labor, such as horses and dogs. For millennia, canines and horses have done important work, such as horses on a farm to pull a plow or even to serve as war mounts. Today, dogs are used for police work and security, not to mention they make for good hunting companions and they are great pets for many Americans. Horses, meanwhile, are popular for not only horse shows but also recreational riding and breeding, and many ranches feature a few horses, or even a large number of them. Horses can still be useful as patrol mounts, too. But what should an animal owner do when their horse or dog gets hurt? Fortunately, many therapy products for dogs, such as dog leg wraps and braces for calves, are widely available. Therapeutic dog beds can also help. Horses, too, can have leg wraps or braces used to help them heal, not to mention warm blankets and coats that they can wear while recovering.
Treating Horses
For many millennia, horses have been vital work animals, and for that reason, there is the entire field of horse medicine, a specialty of veterinarian medicine. These horse doctors, as they are called, can be called upon to a ranch or farm, if the owner’s horse is hurt and needs care. Today, some 400 breeds of horses can be found across the United States, all of them grazers, and they might sometimes suffer injury due to rough terrain or other problems. How can the owner tell if the horse needs help? A horse with an injury will often shift its weight from side to side, refuse to move when prompted, or refuse to bear weight, such as a rider. A horse may also experience a bowed tendon, as a result of an injury or chronic stress, and it may take eight to 11 months for that problem to heal.
A horse doctor can look over the animal and diagnose the problem, and give the owner an outline on how to treat their animal while it is recovering. Medical items can be used to help keep the horse comfortable and safe during recovery, ranging from horse hock boots to leg braces or wraps. Such physical therapy items can help a horse walk around as normal, without putting undue distress on the affected part of their body during recovery. A horse’s shoulder or joints may have suffered the injury, or perhaps its back or its leg bones. The healing process is greatly aided with the help of leg wraps and braces.
Therapy Products for Dogs
Both canine pets and working dogs may get special treatment when they are hurt and need to recover swiftly. A canine might need wraps and therapy products for dogs, for example, if it snags a paw while running, or if it is hit by a car or falls from a height. A concerned owner can take their pet to an animal clinic or hospital, and the veterinarian there may not only prescribe medication for the dog, but also offer therapy products for dogs. As mentioned earlier, these may be leg or ankle wraps, which can help a dog’s impaired hock joint (similar to a human wrist joint) heal more easily and control the swelling. Dog leg braces allow a dog with a bad leg to walk and stand comfortably while not putting any more pressure on the affected joint, bones, or muscles. This way, the dog does not have to sacrifice mobility.
A dog with a bad leg will still need to lay down sometimes, and the owner can provide a therapeutic dog bed, which is thick, soft, and can easily conform to the dog’s shape and weight. This will minimize any pressure on the affected body part, and allow the dog to lay down comfortably and safely. Such dog beds can also be used while transporting the dog in a carrying kennel.